Shattered Heart: A DracoHermioneRon ff
by blueangel994
Summary: Ron is very protective of Hermione, and likes her alot, but Draco, although covers it up very well, also likes her and goes about telling her differently than Ron does. Ron finds out and Malfoy has hell to pay.
1. Chapter 1:Hermione

**A/N:** Hello, welcome to my fan fiction. If you are not familiar with me or my fiction stories, I'd like to say a few things. I appreciate constructive criticism in the reviews and ideas are welcome, I will credit you if I use an idea you've approached me with. If I don't, please let me know because it was probably a mistake. Just as a forewarning, this is another one of my 6th year fanfictions I started before HPatHBP came out. Enjoy!

**Hermione**

Hermione Granger walked through the barrier at King's Cross Station to platform nine and three-quarters. She waved her hand in front of her face hoping to rid of the billowing smoke from the Hogwart's Express.

"Hermione hurry!" her friend, Ron Weasly, called out to her. He was half on the train and half off as the final whistle blew.

Hermione quickly handed a man her luggage as Harry Potter poked his head out of a window and gestured for her to hurry it up.

She had just stepped onto the train when it started to move.

"Come on, Hermione!" said Ron, pulling her by her arm into the train.

"Hold your goblins, Ron, I'm here. Let's go find a compartment," she said, walking ahead of him and finding Harry.

"Hey Hermione," he said, joining her.

"Hi, Harry! How was your summer?"

His eyes darkened, "Oh, it was alright," he said, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking away.

"I thought…we were…er…finding a compartment?" Ron awkwardly asked from behind Hermione.

Hermione stood up straighter, but still looked concernedly at Harry, "Right."

But as they walked through the train every compartment was packed with excited-looking students talking feverishly to their friends.

"I think we got onto the wrong car," said Harry, reaching the end of the car.

Hermione's eyebrow rose, "I suppose we could sit in the last one, whoever is in there," she said.

Harry looked into the compartment, then looked at the other two, shaking his head.

_How ridiculous! _she thought, pushing past him as she said, "Oh please, is Neville in there with his plant…" 

But as she looked into it her words died and her expression slid off her face and formed into one of disgust.

"What?" Ron asked, "What is it, Hermione?"

"Malfoy," she replied, trying to act normal.

Ron's expression turned to that of deepest revulsion, "Oh," he said, looking down.

"Look guys, he hasn't seen us yet, he's too busy talking to those two blokes…"

"Three guesses what they're talking about," Harry quietly interrupted.

Hermione felt herself stop breathing, "Harry, it'll be alright," she consoled, looking at him.

Harry had barely spoken to anybody since the end of the school year, and Hermione knew why, but she didn't want to press the matter.

"Hey look!" Ron exclaimed, opening a compartment door, "It's empty!" he said, looking at them and grinning.

"Oh good!" said Hermione, following him into it, Harry slowly making his way behind her.

"Do you suppose they'll come looking for us?" Ron asked, sliding the door shut.

"Probably," said Hermione, letting Crookshanks out of his pet carrier.

"They have every year, haven't they, Ron? What would be different this year?" Harry asked.

"You fought his father and got away from him. That's what's different, Harry," Hermione replied.

He looked deep in thought and Hermione didn't want to disturb him.

"Who dyou reckon is the new defense against the dark arts teacher?" Ron asked, with a sour expression.

Hermione shrugged, "I don't know. Hopefully Dumbledor's judgment can be trusted this time…" she started.

Harry angrily interrupted her, "When haven't you trusted Dumbledor, Hermione?" he asked.

"Harry, no offense, but last year Umbridge was working for Fudge, who was very against Dumbledor at the time…"

He interrupted her again, "_At the time,_ Hermione, not anymore…"

"And _then_" she loudly interrupted back, "Two years ago our teacher was an imposter who was working for Voldemort.

"But he was impostering someone Dumbledor trusted, how was he supposed to know he was an imposter?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged again, "I don't know, but somehow Dumbledor always knows these things."

"Yeah, after he tried to _kill_ me," Harry yelled.

"Harry," Ron cut in, "You should be used to almost being killed by now. I know at _least_ six times you've almost been killed. It shouldn't be that big of a deal…"

"Not that big of a deal! How can it not be that big of a deal?" he yelled even louder.

"Lower your voice, Harry, or Malfoy will hear you…" Hermione warned.

"I don't care who hears me! One of my so-called best friends just said almost dying isn't that big of a deal! How would _you_ take that, Hermione?" Harry demanded.

Hermione was taken aback, "Well, I would think that he doesn't care about you very much…"

"Doesn't care?" Ron incredulously asked, "Doesn't _care_? I care!"

"That's not what I was saying, Ronald, I was just…"

Hermione was interrupted for the millionth time that day, but not by any of her friends.

"Oooh, fighting already, mudblood?" Draco Malfoy drawled. He looked pale as ever, his hair blond as ever and it was starting to grow out, and he was taller than Ron, Hermione noticed, as Ron stood up in front of him.

"Get your dirty self out of here, Malfoy," Ron calmly said, dramatically pulling his wand out.

"Or what? You'll jinx yourself?" Malfoy chided, making Crabbe and Goyle both snicker.

"Shove it, Malfoy," said Harry as Ron's ears turned red.

"You guys, we don't need a fight on the train," said Hermione, grabbing Crookshanks so he wouldn't go out of the compartment.

"What's that you got there, Granger? It looks like a pig with fur," said Malfoy, amusement playing in his eyes.

"That's my cat, Malfoy. If you couldn't tell that then I suggest you go back to the first year," she said, glaring at him.

This comment shut him up quickly, "Fine, but watch your step, mudblood, or you'll regret it," he said, and before he could move away from the compartment, Harry stood up, knocking Hedwig out of his lap, and pulled out his wand so that two wands were in Malfoy's face.

"Don't…call…her…mudblood," Harry said through clenched teeth.

"Or what?" Malfoy provoked, "You're going to run away from me? You're going to sic that fool Dumbledor on me?"

Harry had pushed Ron over so he fell on Hermione, sending Crookshanks out of the compartment, hissing profusely, and pinned Malfoy to the wall.

"Or I'll beat the bloody hell out of you," he quietly threatened.

Malfoy looked as if his life was about to end, "Come on, let's go," he said to his two sidekicks with a frightened and high-pitched voice. They ran down the corridor and Malfoy kicked Crookshanks as he passed him.

"Oh, that dirty little half witted oaf," Hermione angrily muttered, pushing Ron off of herself and running to get Crookshanks, "That little boy isn't very nice, is he?" she cooed, talking to her very fluffed cat. His tail looked like a bottlebrush.

She walked back into the compartment and slammed the door closed, "I don't know _how_ he has the courage to even _look_ at you, much less talk to you like that, Harry," she said, sitting down.

"Yeah, well, he does," he irritably said, not looking at any one.

Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged and also looked away, so she looked down at a now purring, and slightly de-fluffed, Crookshanks and thought, _"It's going to be a long school year."_


	2. Chapter 2: Ron

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your reviews, Twisted Silver, Theatrechica, and Obsessed-with-random-theories-about-Harry-Potter. Here's the next part!

**Ron**

Ron had almost always liked Hermione. The only time he hadn't was the first few days they knew each other. Every year, he thought he had done a brilliant job of keeping his feelings for her private, but this year would be different.

_If she's not going with Vikki anymore,_ he lamely thought.

As if she had read his mind she suddenly spoke up, "I've gotten a few owls from Victor over the summer. He says he's doing fine, but he's going to quit Quidditch."

"_WHAT!_" both Ron and Harry yelled.

"Yeah, he says it's just too much stress," she absent-mindedly told them.

"But he _can't_ quit!" Ron exclaimed, "He's the best seeker I've ever seen!"

"Yeah," Hermione said, raising her eye-brows, "That's what you said before you met him, then you didn't like him so much."

"Well…" stuttered Ron, not wanting to reveal his feelings quite yet, "Just because he's a great flyer doesn't mean he's a good person."

"And why isn't he a good person? He hasn't done anything wrong," she said, glaring at him.

_Oh no, not at all,_ he thought to himself, _he just took you away from me, that's it,_

"I didn't mean he's not a good person," Ron tried to explain himself, "He's just not very friendly."

"He's friendly to me…"

"But not to anybody else, Hermione," Harry spoke up.

Ron looked gratefully at Harry, "Yeah, he's right. Well," he said, thinking, "except for that Fleur girl," he corrected himself.

Ron was satisfied with the expression he now found on Hermione's face, "He's friendly to Fleur?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, real friendly. You should've seen them at the tournament…"

"I _did_ Ron," Hermione told him.

"Obviously not very well," Harry quietly said.

"But, I thought she was going with Bill?" she asked.

Ron shook his head, "No, not anymore. She had to go back and live with her family."

Ron could have sworn he'd seen her stop breathing, "And now…" she said, letting her sentence trail off.

"Now what?" he asked.

"That's what I was asking you, you dolt," she said, rolling her eyes.

"If you're going to act that way I just won't tell you at all," said Ron, sounding disgusted.

"What way?" she asked.

"Rolling your eyes at me," he said, sitting back in his seat.

Hermione rolled her eyes yet again, "That's just telling you that what I think you're saying is dumb," she simply told him.

Ron's mind went blank.

_She thinks I'm dumb,_ he weakly thought, _Maybe I don't want to ask her out after all…_

"Ron?" he heard Harry ask, "Ron are you alright?"

"Wha? Yeah, I'm fine," he said, coming back into the world.

"You looked spaced out is all," Harry said.

"Yeah I'm fine," he repeated, "I was just thinking about something."

"Look, Ron," Hermione said, clearly under the impression that he was still thinking about Victor, "I'm sure he's not that bad of a guy and I'm sure he and Fleur are just friends," she said.

"Just friends?" he asked, "I don't think so, Hermione," he said, looking at Harry.

"Well, I don't care who Victor's friends are. How did both of you do on your owls?"

_Nice change of subject,_ Ron thought.

"I did alright on mine. Of course, I got an O.W.L. in the defense against the dark arts part," Harry spoke up.

"And what about potions?" she asked.

Ron looked at Harry again; he knew he himself hadn't gotten an O.W.L in potions, which meant he couldn't be an aurorer like he had wanted to be.

"Yeah, I did. He said the color of the steam was a little off, but otherwise I did really good."

"That's great, Harry," Hermione praised him.

"Yeah," he said, smiling.

"What about Astronomy? Did anybody get an O.W.L in that?" Ron asked.

Hermione looked darkly at him, "They did away with counting those O.W.L s for everyone because we had a distraction," she said.

"Oh," said Ron, remembering what had happened, "yeah, I didn't get mine finished."

"Nor did I," said Hermione, "but I suppose that's a good thing. I mean, that they didn't count it. I don't think any of us finished it."

"I don't think so, either," said Harry.

"What about charms?" she spiritedly asked.

"Yeah," Harry said at the same time Ron said, "No."

"You didn't get an O.W.L in charms?" she asked Ron.

Ron felt his face heating up, "No."

"I wonder how many O.W.L s Malfoy got," Harry asked.

Hermione let out a laugh, "If he got any at all it was because his father bought them for him. I'm sure there was some kind of money exchanging hands for his O.W.L. s," she said.

"Well, I know he didn't do very well in charms," Harry said, "Because he was too busy watching what I was doing rather than what he was," he said.

"That's a nice change," she happily said.

"What?" Ron asked, confused.

"Well, it's always Harry that gets his class work assignments thrown away or ruined because of either Malfoy or Snape. I was just saying that it's nice for once for Malfoy to get a taste of his own medicine."

"Oh, yeah," Ron said, spacing out. Suddenly he was very tired and he thought longingly of the nice warm beds in the Gryffindor tower awaiting him…


	3. Chapter 3: Hermione

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your reviews, Twisted Silver, Theatrechica, and Obsessed-with-random-theories-about-Harry-Potter. Here's the next part!

**Hermione  
**  
Hermione, when she first arrived at Hogwarts, hadn't liked either Ron or Harry. She thought both were conceited little twits but time had come to show her that even the most conceited of little twits could be best friends.

_With one exception,_ she thought with disgust. Draco Malfoy was her least favorite person, aside from Voldemort, on the face of the planet. But he was a supporter of Voldemort and his father was a death eater, so she considered him as good as Voldemort.

"Oh no," Harry moaned.

"What?" she asked, alarmed.

Harry pointed to the door where Malfoy stood.

"Get _out_," she angrily told him.

"Oooh, getting a little aggressive, are we?" he asked, sideling his way into the compartment.

Ron's head suddenly jerked up from his dozing-off position and he looked at Malfoy.

"Get out," he said, causing Harry to turn a snicker into a cough.

"Where are your two clowns, Malfoy?" Harry coldly asked.

Hermione raised her eyebrow at a stuttering Draco, "They're…not here," he said, his cold gray eyes cutting through the air to Hermione.

Hermione, as if he had taken several steps toward her, suddenly sat back as close to Harry as she could get.

"What, are you afraid of me, mudblood?" he asked.

She stood up in front of him, "I think you forget, Malfoy, who it was that kicked your ass last year," she said.

"We'll see," he calmly said, staring in her eyes, "We'll just see."

"So, if that's all you've come here to say, you can leave now," Ron said in an over-cheery voice.

"I didn't ask your advice, weasel," he spit.

"And trust me," said Ron, angrily standing behind Hermione, "I'd never want to give any to you. You'd have someone wipe your butt with it," he finished.

Hermione noticed Malfoy was breathing harder and looked angrier, "If I had my way…" he started, but she interrupted him.

"If you had your way, Malfoy, you'd be co-working with your father."

He stared at her, apparently speechless.

"Leave," she said through gritted teeth, "leave now or you'll regret it," she said.

Malfoy had a triumphant smirk on his face as if he had won a duel against one of them, then left.

Hermione sat down, "That was odd," she said.

"Just a little," Ron sarcastically said.

"Why would he come back here twice?" she asked herself more than anybody.

"And why would he come back here again without Crabbe and Goyle?" Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged, "I don't know."

"Well, that's why we're asking," Harry said.

Hermione suddenly felt moody, "If nobody in here knows the answer, then why bother asking your question?" she snapped at him.

He jerked back, "Sorry, I didn't know it was that time of the month," he said.

Ron snickered and Hermione stood up, "I think I'll go find somewhere else to sit, thanks," she told them and left the compartment.

She slowly walked down the length of the car, pushing her back against the wall as the food trolley passed by.

"Are we lonesome, Granger," Malfoy drawled from behind her.

She angrily spun around, "_You!_ she said, advancing on him, "You are a dirty little freak!" she yelled, causing several people to poke their heads of the compartments, "Rotten, unworthy, spoiled mummy's boy and you know it!" she yelled at him, letting all of her anger out.

He was wide-eyed, and the only other time she had actually seen him this scared was the last time she had threatened, and slapped, him.

"You are a coward and the only reason you're so…so…hot-headed is because your father is a deatheater!" she screamed in his face.

His eyes widened even more at this comment, "Filthy little…" he began.

Hermione slapped him hard across the face, "That's for calling me a mudblood!" she screamed, felling tears of anger leak out of her eyes.

She slapped him again, causing his head to snap in the other direction, "_That's_ for calling Ron and Harry foul names! And _this_ is for every harmful thing you've done in your life!" she yelled louder than ever, punching him four times in the face.

"Hermione," Harry said into her ear, grabbing her arm while Ron grabbed the other, "You're going to get into trouble, let's go," he said, basically dragging her down the now crowded corridor.

"Woohoo! Go Hermione!" Someone yelled, while several Slytherins glared at her.

"Serves him right," she said as she walked past them.

"Stop, Hermione," Harry muttered, shoving her into their compartment and closing the door. Both Harry and Ron looked at her.

"What?" she asked them.

"You're going to find yourself hurt one of these days," Ron said, looking from her to Harry and back again.

"If you keep provoking them like that Hermione, there's no telling what Malfoy, not to mention every other Slytherin, can do to you," Harry said.

"Malfoy wouldn't _touch_ me," she said, sitting straighter, "Be_sides_, he's scared of me…"

"No he's not, Herm," Ron said.

Hermione looked at him, shocked for a moment, "_What_ did you just call me?" she asked.

"Uh…nothing…" he replied, looking away as his face glowed scarlet.

"Anyway," continued Harry, "The point is that if Malfoy ever gets you alone, he _will_ hurt you, Hermione. He's not afraid of you."

Hermione rolled her eyes, _Yeah…right…_


	4. Chapter 4: Draco

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your reviews, Twisted Silver, Theatrechica, and Obsessed-with-random-theories-about-Harry-Potter. Here's the next part!

**raco**

raco stood there for a moment, anger pulsing through his veins as he watched the three walk down the isle. Not only had she managed to hurt him, she had imbaraced him in front of every person that occupied this car. He was supposed to be Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin who wasn't afraid of anything.

_Except you-know-who,_ he angrily reminded himself.

Crabbe and Goyle lumbered up the walk way toward him. He quickly withdrew his hand from his face and walked between them, causing them to first stop, then turn around and follow him.

"That filthy little mudblood is going to pay for that," he told them, swiftly walking to the last compartment.

He sat down and pulled his wand out, carefully examining it, "I wonder what curse would work best on her," he wondered out loud.

Both Crabbe and Goyle looked apprehensively at the wand.

"What're you going to do?" Crabbe stupidly asked.

"I've told you a thousand times, you dolt! I _don't_ know!" he said.

"Avada Kadavra?" Goyle suggested.

Draco considered it. How he would love to watch her fall limply to the ground, dead forever. What more, Potter's best friend dying by the same curse that he parents died of would kill him. But he wanted to see her suffer first. Whether by curse or by physical force.

"I dunno," he suddenly heard Crabbe whisper, "Seems to be thinking."

"No, I think he's asleep," Goyle whispered back.

"No, he's definantly thinking…"

raco had had enough, "Shut up you two! I'm trying to think!"

"I told you he was thinking," Crabbe whispered to Goyle.

"I…said…shut…UP!" Draco yelled, causing both of them to jump. He glared at them, "What part of that don't you understand?"

They looked at each other, apparently terrified.

raco sighed, "Don't worry, I don't intend to do anything to you two today," he reassured them. They looked overly relieved.

"Who do you reckon is our new defense against the dark arts teacher?" Crabbe asked.

raco smirked, "Take a guess," he replied.

"You know?" Goyle asked.

"Well, are you going to guess or will you have to find out on your own?" he irritably asked.

They looked at each other again, shrugged in turn and both simultaneously looked at Draco.

He rolled his eyes and stretched out on the seat.

"Is it Professor Snape?" Goyle took a guess.

"No, although that would be much better," Draco thoughtfully said, frowning.

"Dumbledore," Crabbe said as if it were the answer.

raco looked at him, "Bloody hell, I would drop school if that ever happened. No, it's not Dumbledor or Professor Snape."

They looked at each other yet again, puzzled this time.

"Draco," Goyle said, looking as if he were actually thinking, "Would it…by any chance…be…your, you know…" his sentence trailed off.

"If you're not going to finish your thought I'm not going to listen to you," Draco simply said, looking out of the window at the hideous brightly lit valley. Draco preferred darker places with one exception. The three manors his father owned all had windows as the whole front wall. He only liked light in these places, and in these places only.

"I mean, would the new teacher be your father?" Crabbe finished Goyle's sentence.

raco did something he hadn't done all summer.

He smiled.


	5. Chapter 5: Ron

Heh…ok there was a mistake for this chapter. I'm missing a few chapters in my story and I know a few of you were wondering, "Who's Brad?" Well…that would be because I'm missing the part where he comes to play so if yall could just hang on for a day or two I'm sure I can find them somewhere. Sorry for the inconvienience!


	6. Chapter 6: Hermione

A/N: ah HAH! I found the missing chapter. Please enjoy.

**Hermione **

For the rest of the journey to Hogwarts, Hermione marveled at the sun-filled valley, which looked as if it were on fire.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked as the train slowed to a stop.

"Huh?" she asked, grabbing Crookshanks and putting him in his cage, "Yeah, I'm fine.

Harry skeptically looked at her, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, carrying the cat cage with her off of the train, Harry and Ron close behind.

Hermione walked up to an empty horseless carriage and put Crookshanks on the seat as she started to climb in. Ron put Pig's cage next to Crookshanks and hoisted himself up into the carriage.

He reached out to grab Hedwig's cage from Harry, but Harry had stopped dead and was staring, open-mouthed, at the vacant space between the carriages.

Hermione then remembered that he could see the thestrals that pulled the black carriages and why.

"Harry, it's alright. You've been able to see them for a year now," she soothingly said.

"No," Harry said, "It's not that, come here," he said.

Hermione cautiously got out of the carriage and walked over next to Harry, "What is it, Harry?" she asked.

He grabbed her hand, and as he did so Hermione saw, out of the corner of her eyes, Ron make a sudden movement. When he had grabbed her hand, he put it where the horse would have been if there _was_ one, but Hermione didn't feel anything.

"There's nothing there," she said, waving her hand through the air where the Thestral should have been.

"Where'd they go?" Harry asked her.

Hermione's mind was blank, "I…I don't know, Harry."

Harry groaned, "Oh! Last year Umbridge tried to get rid of them, remember?" he asked her.

"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed, remembering, "But, Harry, what's going to pull the carriages this year?" she questioned him.

"Are you guys done out there?" Ron asked.

"Hold on!" Hermione told him.

Harry shrugged, "I suppose we can ask Hagrid," he said, gesturing to the large, half-giant professor calling, "Firs years, over here! Firs years! Don be shy now! Come on!"

Harry and Hermione ran over to him, "Oh, hi Hermy, Harry," he said, "Firs years!"

Hermione looked at Harry, revolted, "_Hermy_?" she mouthed at him. He only shrugged.

"Hagrid," he said, "What's happened to the Thestrals?"

Hagrid stopped mid-sentence, "Oh, them. Ministry o Magic got rid o them," he replied.

"What?" Hermione exclaimed, "Why?"

"Firs years! Follow me!" he yelled, then said quieter, "Can't talk now."

Harry and Hermione nodded, then ran back to the carriage to give Ron an explanation.

As they were making their way a well-built, tall boy knocked Hermione down.

"Watch it!" she yelled as Harry helped her to her feet.

"You watch it!" he nastily spit back, pushing her again and disappearing in the crowd.

"Idiot," she muttered.

When they got into the carriage, Harry and Hermione explained everything to Ron.

"But, what's going to…" Ron began as the carriage gave a jolt and moved forward, "Bloody hell," he said, looking petrified.

Hermione looked out the window, seeing several second years also looking out their windows, "There's nothing out there," she said.

Like every other year, the carriages moved to the front of Hogwarts and the students got out, gathering in the Great Hall and waiting for the First Years.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all got out and found seats at the Gryffindor table. Not long after, a group of huddling scared looking first years made their way between the two middle tables and up to the front.

For a moment, an old hat with a tear in the brim only sat on the stool in front of the whole school. Finally the tear opened and the song for the new school year echoed throughout the hall.

"Four of the finest friends,

Started a school one year,

Each one a house tends,

And this year we must fear

What happened long ago,

Danger is among us,

We must not stoop so low,

Nor must we ever fuss.

These were the friends a-four;

Brave and caring Gryffindor.

And never to go a-flaw;

Smartened up Ravenclaw.

They will show you all their stuff;

There's the mix, Hufflepuff!

Finally cheaters they have been;

Mostly hated Slytherin.

So my students this year

May face what they all fear.

There is danger all abroad,

And among us is a fraud.

Watch your backs, keep your tongues,

We must catch him; he's the one."

At this, the hat bowed to the four tables then remained still.

"A bit short this year," Harry muttered.

"A bit cheery too," Ron said, looking at Hermione. She had been thinking the same thing.

"And among us is a fraud," she murmured, frowning, "And another warning," she added. At that moment she was interrupted.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall explained.

Hermione clearly recalled her saying that exact same thing in her first year when she was to be sorted.

McGonagall picked the hat up and glanced at a very long piece of parchment, then looked at the sea of First Years, "Aaronel, Finneas!"

A very timid looking boy slowly walked to the stool and sat on it as the professor sat the hat on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it immediately shouted.

The boy looked relieved and trotted over to the Hufflepuff table where he was warmly greeted.

Hermione ignored the rest of the sorting and whispered to Harry and Ron until a name caught her attention.

"Riddle, Vincent!" McGonagall shouted.

A very athletic looking boy, who looked older than eleven, strode up to the stool and confidently sat. It was the same boy who had knocked Hermione down.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. She looked at Harry and expected him to be looking at her, but apparently he hadn't noticed anything seeing that he was talking to Ron.

She looked up at Dumbledore and saw him glance at her, give her a slight nod, and look back at the boy, clearly interested to see which house he was put in.

"Interesting," the hat said, "Very interesting."

Hermione was hoping with all her heart that what she was thinking wasn't true.

"You would do well in both Slytherin and Gryffindor," the hat continued, "But where to put you…" it trailed off.

Now Harry was looking up at the front with narrowed eyes.

"Harry," she whispered, hoping he had noticed the same thing she had.

He looked at her, "That's almost exactly what it told me when we were being sorted," he said.

"Oh," she said, surprised. That wasn't exactly the answer she was expecting.

"What?" he asked.

"N…nothing," she muttered, looking back up at the front. The hat was still deciding where to put Vincent.

"Slytherin? Or Gryffindor…" it said this several times and McGonagall was looking fidgety.

A sudden breeze wafted through the room as if the ceiling had opened up. This wasn't hard to believe since the Great Hall's ceiling looked as if it actually _were_ the night sky.

Ron shivered and looked around whispering, "It's a bit drafty in here, don't you think?" he asked, his eyes finally resting on Hermione.

Hermione was suddenly sucked into them and couldn't remember what she was going to say…or even where she was; only that she was with Ron.

"Uh…hmmm…well, I…er…" she stuttered unblinkingly.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked, looking concerned.

She snapped out of it and looked past them up to the boy, "Yeah, I'm fine."

She glanced at Snape who looked fully interested in this boy's sorting.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat finally shouted, making her jump.

Hermione's eyes narrowed again, "Slytherin," she whispered to herself, looking at the wall opposite of her.

"Wha?" Ron asked.

"Nothing," she said, watching the last boy be sorted.

"Smith, Brad!" McGonagall called.

A seventeen-year-old looking boy, just like Vincent, boldly strode up to the stool and happily sat down.

"An exchange student," the hat began, "In your seventh year?" it asked.

Hermione held her breath. He was definantly good looking.

"Yes…sir…" he awkwardly said.

"From the U.S." it said.

"Yep," he said as if he had gone through this before.

Several people laughed.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled.

Brad broadly smiled and walked over to the Gryffindor table.

"Hey," he greeted Harry, sitting next to him.

"Hello," Harry uncertainly said.

"How're yall?" he asked.

Hermione gave a short, but quiet laugh. There was no mistaking he was from the U.S.

"We're just fine," Ron offensively said, giving him an appalled look.

At that moment Dumbledore stood up and Brad looked up at him as if he'd been waiting for his speech all night.

"I would like to welcome all that have joined our school this year and to welcome back all of our returning pupils!"

Several people cheered. Ron darkly looked around, "It's not the same without Fred and George," he said.

"Oh Ron," Hermione whispered, "It'll be okay."

"I would like three words before we begin the feast!" he continued, "Please, enjoy yourselves!"

Food suddenly appeared on the table, making all the first years gasp in awe. Ron dug into the food, forgetting about any problems on his mind.

"So, what's the ritual around here?" Brad asked, picking up his fork.

Hermione sat up straight, "Usually after desert, Professor Dumbledore gives a start of the term speech, then we all go up to bed. And," she said, looking around and saw what she was looking for, "Yes, they're handing out schedules right now. After Dumbledore's speech, we go up to bed and classes start tomorrow."

He looked at her. He had blond, spiked hair and bright-blue eyes and the most handsome smile she had ever seen.

"Interesting," he said, looking down at his plate.

Hermione cleared her throat, "So…" she began as Ron looked from her plate to her face.

"You aren't going to start spew again, are you?" he asked with his mouth half full.

"_Ronald_, it was S.P.E.W. and no, I told you I've given up on that!" she exclaimed, feeling her face grow warm.

"Well, why haven't you put anything on your plate?" he asked after he had swallowed his food.

"I was…distracted," she said; looking at Brad, then back to Ron.

"Distracted?" he stormed, "Who was _distracting_ you?" he angrily asked.

"I happened to be talking to the new student, Brad, okay? I'm just trying to be sociable!" she said, trying not to get angry.

"Yeah, a little _too_ sociable!" Ron loudly said.

"I can have other friends than you, Ronald!"

He was speechless, and he quite obviously didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking back at Brad who was staring wide-eyed at her, "He gets like that sometimes," she explained, quiet enough so that Ron wouldn't hear her.

"I…yeah," he stuttered, "Sorry, I don't mean to cause any trouble around here…"

She interrupted him, laughing, "Don't worry, Ron and I have been in a fair share of fights. So have Harry and I."

When she had said "Harry" he looked up at her, "You mean, Harry Potter?" he asked.

"Oh yes, you were just talking to him," she said.

Brad turned to Harry and tapped him on the shoulder, "What?" he crossly asked, "Oh, sorry, I thought you were…some one else. Hi," he awkwardly said.

"Hi, you're Harry Potter," Brad unnecessarily said.

"Yes, I know that," Harry replied, "Who are you?"

"I'm Brad Smith. I didn't realize who you were until…uh…she," he said, pointing to Hermione, "told me."

"She's Hermione," Harry informed him.

"Oh, really?" he asked, looking at her.

"Yes, what of it?" she asked, grabbing some chips and putting them on her plate, trying to suppress a grin.

"It's just weird…different is all."

"Yes, I am well aware of that," she said, looking him in the eye, "But people seem to know how to pronounce it."

"That's good," he said, grinning back at her.

"So why did you transfer here?" she asked him as Harry went back to his conversation with Ron.

"Because the wizarding school in Texas that I was going to didn't have the class I needed to do what I wanted to do."

"Texas?" Hermione asked, _I wonder if that's a country in the U.S_., she thought to herself.

"It's a state," he explained.

"Oh," she said, blushing.

"Anywho, my mom and dad read about Hogwarts in some flyers and decided that I should go here to finish up and get the classes I need."

"Hmmm," she said, interested, "And what are you wanting to do?" she innocently asked.

He snickered, "You mean, besides get to know you better?" he asked her.

Her blush deepened, but she smiled, flattered, "Apart from that, yes."

"I would actually like to be an auror," he said, catching Harry's attention.

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Oh yeah, sure. You too?" Brad asked him.

"Yeah. Well, that is if Snape lets me pass Potions," he darkly said.

"Harry, I will help you with every bit of homework this year," she said, feeling sympathy for him. She knew how desperately he wanted to get into that field of work, but she knew Snape would make it almost impossible.

He skeptically looked at her, "Really?" he repeated.

"Of course!" she said.

"Hey, what about me?" Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes and didn't look at him, "If I must, Ronald," she said, looking down at her plate again.

"Gee, Hermione, don't be all enthusiastic or anything," Ron sarcastically replied.

"I'd like some help too, if you don't mind," Brad told her, winking.

"No," she said, grinning, "Not at all."


	7. Chapter 7: Ron

A/N: okidoki now I'm getting ya'll caught up again. 

_**Ron**_

Hermione was _really_ starting to get on his nerves. She acted like he was some kind of person she didn't want to hang around. She treated him like he was some lost straggler always wanting her attention.

_Well_, he angrily thought to himself as he headed up the stairs, alone, to the Gryffindor Tower, _I'm not. And if she's going to treat me that way…I just won't even look at her again. I don't need help on the homework. I just need to pay more attention, take more notes and…_he stopped on the top stair, _I need Hermione_, he desperately thought, resuming his brisk walk to the tower.

He could hear her voice echoing through the corridors below him, then that Brad's laughter following.

_I wonder where Harry's at?_ he asked himself.

Near the end of the feast, when Dumbledore had given his speech, Harry had disappeared. Dumbledore mentioned a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but wouldn't say who. He only said to not be afraid; that this person was not who he seemed to be.

Likely story, Ron thought, stopping in front of the portrait.

"Password?" she bordly asked.

"Uh…" Ron stuttered, not remembering the password. Someone had told him, but he was too busy watching Hermione bat lashes with Brad, "Let me in I'm a Gryffindor?" he asked.

The fat lady smirked at him; "I can't let you in…" she began.

"Oh shut up," he muttered, turning away.

She stopped abruptly, "Pardon me?"

Ron groaned, "Never mind, okay?" he irritably asked.

She looked appalled, "If you wish…"

Not long after her snores filled the corridor.

"Oh," came a disgusted voice, "It's only Ronald," Hermione told Brad.

Ron stared at her, "Only Ronald?" he repeated, "What, am I, a doorstop or something?" he asked, noticing that they were standing very close.

She continued talking to Smith as if he hadn't even spoken. Smith actually turned his head and looked at him, then shrugged.

"Inter hostis," she said to the Fat Lady.

"Proceed," she said in an all-important voice.

Ron trailed in after them. He wanted to ask Hermione if she knew where Harry was at, but he lost his nerve when she turned to Brad and looked at him as if he were the last person on earth.

"You know, I've been wanting to try those chocolates for the longest time," she said, sitting in an armchair by the fire.

Brad hesitated before sitting next to her.

"Hey!" Ron stormed, "That's _my_ spot!"

"Ron, we don't have specific spots. So what, he wants to sit there. Go away," she said, not even looking at him.

Ron gaped at her, "Since when have you acted like this, Hermione?" he yelled.

"Since forever," she mindlessly said.

"You have _never_ acted like this even on your bad days, Hermione!" he argued.

"Well, I'm acting like it now," she said, giving a short, sarcastic laugh, then gave him an icy glare, "So _get…over…it_!"

All Ron could do was stand there as she happily turned to Brad, "So, where were we?"

"Uh…"Brad started, obviously uncomfortable, "Chocolates," Ron heard him remind her as he stormed up to the bedroom.

_I'd rather have to deal with Malfoy than her at the moment_, Ron thought, lying on his bed.

Soon Ron had fallen into a deep sleep, dreaming only of Hermione.

The next Day Ron awoke with a start, looking around the tower. A familiar lump was in the bed next to him, softly snoring.

"Harry?" Ron whispered.

The snoring stopped, "Huh?" he tiredly asked.

"Where'd you go last night?" Ron asked.

"Oh," he said, sitting up and yawning. His hair was more messed up than usual, "Jus talking to Dubbledor," he muttered.

A few minutes later they were both dressed and waiting in the common room for Hermione.

"Let's just go," Ron muttered to Harry.

"No, let's wait," Harry said, looking for Hermione in the crowd of girls coming down the girls dormitory staircase.

Hermione made her way to them through the crowd, "Well, ready?" she asked, looking at Harry.

_That's right,_ Ron angrily thought, _Just_ _keep avoiding me!_

She didn't look at nor say anything to Ron all the way down to the Great Hall. She and Harry had a dandy conversation about which classes they had that year while Ron hung back with Brad, glaring at him.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed as they walked through the Great Hall doors.

"What is it this time?" Hermione irritably asked.

He didn't care that she was being rude now, "Where's Dumbledore?" he asked.

Hermione and Harry stopped and looked up at the teachers table; a vacant space next to McGonagall.

"I don't know," Harry said.

Just at that moment someone rested a hand on Ron's shoulder, startling him.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, please follow me," he said, "Mr. Potter and Mr. Smith can wait for you in the Great Hall," he finished.

_Great,_ Ron panicked, _We're in trouble this time._

They walked through a series of corridors in silence until they reached the defense against the dark arts classroom. This room, as far as Ron knew, had been occupied by five different teachers. In his first year Professor Quirrel had taught here, only bringing Voldemort and a strong smell of garlic with him. In the second year it had been taken by an air-headed fraud named Professor Lockheart. Ron had gotten rid of him in a sense; Lockheart had tried to rid him and Harry of their memories with Ron's broken wand and the spell had backfired leaving no one but himself without a memory. Their Third year defense against the dark arts had been taught by werewolf Professor Lupin. Lupin was the one professor, at this point, that Ron had actually liked. Lupin and Harry had bonded very well since Lupin and Harry's father, James had been close friends when they themselves had gone to Hogwarts. In the fourth year, someone impersonating Mad-eye Moody had taught this class. Ron hadn't ever heard the whole entire story behind it, but the real Mad-eye had been stuffed into a trunk. The real Moody was in the Order and working against You-Know-Who. Finally last year was the worst year of all. None other than Professor Umbridge had taught DATDA. She made hell for everybody, except the caretaker Filch, but in the end she was driven out of the castle by Peeves the school Poltergeist.

"What I'm about to show both of you something that is to not leave this spot here," Dumbledore explained.

"What?" Ron asked, ignoring the impatient huffs from Hermione.

"I warn you, Mr. Weasley, do not tell _anyone_ what I'm about to show you," he said, looking over his half-moon spectacles.

Ron nodded, "Yes sir."

Dumbledore opened the door and they walked in.

Ron's jaw dropped, "Blimey!"


	8. Chapter 8: Hermione

A/N: sorry this is so short…but another one's comin up!

**Hermione **

"Oh my," Hermione gasped, looking from the ghost to Dumbledore, "But won't people…I mean…I don't see…won't this cause a…" she couldn't find the right words.

"I trust this will not cause a panic," Dumbledore quietly said.

"But Professor," Ron slowly said, turning to him, "If he is our new defense against the dark arts teacher, and _we're_ not supposed to tell anyone…how is that supposed to work?" he asked.

Hermione had the same question running around her head.

"I want this to be a surprise to Harry. If you tell someone, even if it's not Harry, he will find out before he has this class, and that would ruin it," Dumbledore patiently explained.

"How are you going to keep people from panicking?" Hermione asked.

"I will wait outside of the classroom door and at the beginning of each class and I will explain that there is no need to worry."

Hermione didn't see how that was going to work, "But…but…"

The ghost suddenly woke up and looked at them, "Ah! Ron, Hermione, good to see you, good to see you," he said, gliding toward them. His clothes looked as if they had been worn without being washed for the past ten or so years and his face was gaunt and pale.

"But…" Hermione repeated.

Dumbledore mischievously put a finger to his lips, winked at them and disappeared.


	9. Chapter 9: Draco

A/N: Reviews review…thank you so mucho! Draco 

Malfoy was only half listening as the Gryffindors and Slytherins lined up out side of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom a few days later. This was their first day of this class and Draco was sad to say that Umbridge wasn't there to teach it. She had been the only respectable teacher in Draco's opinion and he wished she would come back.

"What's _that_ fool doing up there?" Crabbe asked him.

"I don't know, being an idiot I reckon," he bordly said, wishing he were back in the common room. He had finally convinced the two blokes that his father _was_ teaching and that the real reason he wanted to teach here was so that he could get Potter alone and kill him.

"Sweet revenge," he muttered under his breath as Dumbledore began to speak in front of the class. Draco didn't pay much attention but he heard something like, "He's not who you think," and rubbish like that.

When he was finished the class began to trail into the classroom murmuring like a thousand bees had entered the room.

"Hey Potter!" Draco yelled across the classroom, "What do you think of the teacher? I think he's alright!"

But Potter didn't look at him. In fact, he didn't even give any signs that he had heard Draco. He was only staring at the front of the classroom.

"Look at him," Draco snickered, looking at Crabbe and Goyle who were also staring at the front of the room.

He looked around the rest of the room and found that everybody else, except Weasley and Granger, were doing the same thing.

He himself looked where everybody else was looking and felt his breathing stop.

"What?" he squeaked out, "Where's my father?" he demanded.

"Mr. Malfoy," said a calm voice from the doorway, "If you would just come with me, please," it said as the ghost teacher turned around to face the class.

Draco followed Dumbledore to his office in a huff. Why wasn't his father teaching? Why was a _ghost_ teaching? Didn't they have enough ghosts around the school as it was?

Before he knew it they were in Dumbledore's office.

"What?" Draco rudely asked, roughly sitting in a chair opposite of him.

"Would you like to know where your father is?" Dumbledore quietly asked, making Draco angry.

"Yes, I would! He said he had applied here…"

Dumbledore cut him off, "Ah…precisely. He had _applied_ here, Draco. That doesn't mean he got the job."

"So then…where is he? He sent me posts saying he was getting his… _room_…ready. If he wasn't, then where is he?" Draco yelled.

Dumbledore picked up The Daily Prophet, glanced at the cover and then handed it to him.

"Read the cover article."

Draco saw a picture of his father, looking quite dreadful, being lead away from Hogwarts by dementors. The caption read, "Un-masked deatheater: Lucius Malfoy loyally goes to Azkaban for you-know-who."

"That's a bunch of Bull Frogs!" he yelled, "My father is no deatheater!"

"Mr. Malfoy, you may cover up for your father all you want, but I know you are aware of such things."

Draco looked down; he did actually know his father was a deatheater.

"Why don't you hire him?" he demanded.

"I felt he wasn't right for the position," Dumbledore said, "I felt he was…ah…too much of a threat."

"Threat to what?"

"The well-being of Harry Potter."

"But…BUT YOU HIRED PROFESSOR SNAPE AND HE'S A DEATHEATER!" Draco stormed, "SO WHY CAN'T MY FATHER BE A PROFESSOR?"

"I'm afraid your father is still a deatheater, Draco. You see, Professor Snape has turned from such habits…"

Draco interrupted him, "No he hasn't!"

Dumbledore stopped and looked concerned, "I think it's time you go back to class now, Mr. Malfoy," he finally said.

"Fine," Draco said, storming out of the office.


	10. Chapter 10: Hermione

A/N: Here's another one. Hermione 

Hermione raised her hand, a question on her mind, as their professor explained the rules of the classroom.

"Just a moment, Hermione," he said, smiling, "I know what you're about to ask, let me finish. You may put your hand down."

Hermione set her hand down, smiling at him and looked over at Harry who still looked stunned.

"There will not be any name calling as long as I am teaching. This is the most important of all the respect issues we have at this school. I know a lot of name calling goes on between…er…Slytherin and Gryffindor," he said, looking a bit uncomfortable, "Because when I went here, I was in Gryffindor and I can tell you right now, it wasn't very pleasant."

"Excuse me, sir," Seamus said, raising his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Finnigan?" the professor asked.

"Well, did you go here when Snape went here?"

He laughed, "Yes, I did, but that's a conversation for another time. The third rule; I will not have any fights break out in this classroom. I know sometimes things can get a little rough, but save it for break. Anyone who is involved in a fight, or who provokes one will be chucked out and will be at the mercy of the headmaster."

Hermione started as Draco slammed the door open and took his place between Crabbe and Goyle.

"Wonder what's got _his_ gizzard," Ron muttered to Hermione watching Malfoy.

"_That_, class, is precisely the attitude I will _not_ tolerate in my classroom. As for you, Mr. Malfoy, since you were preoccupied during my explanation of the rules, I will give you an excuse this one time. Meet me after class and I will explain what you have missed.

"Why would I meet _you_ after class?" Malfoy rudely asked.

"Pardon me?" the professor politely asked.

Hermione turned to Malfoy, "Shut it, Malfoy!" she threatened.

"Or what?" he chided.

"Or you'll get into trouble. Do you even know who you're dealing with?" she asked, glaring at him.

"Gee, I dunno," he sarcastically said, "If you're so smart, why don't you tell me, mudblood?"

Hermione felt her face grow hot as the whole class as one gasped.

"Now now," said the professor, "I really didn't look forward to handing out detentions on the first day of this class, please settle down."

Hermione turned away from him, angrier than she had been with Ron.

"Now, what was your question, Hermione?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know if you would want to answer it right now, Professor," at this he smiled broadly, "But…" she let her sentence trail off, wondering if she should save it for after class.

"You were wondering why I came back," he made it a statement, not a question.

She looked up at him, "Yeah."

"Meet me after I'm done speaking with Mr. Malfoy, all three of you," he said, looking from Hermione to Ron and finally to Harry, who smiled.

"Why do you wear clothes that make you look like a tramp?" Malfoy demanded.

Hermione could see that her professor had stiffened, "Because, Mr. Malfoy, these are the clothes I died in."

"How'd you die?" Parvati quietly asked.

"Well, I'm not quite sure I can reveal that at the moment. I kind of died in a top secret place…"

"Like in the Department of Mysteries," Malfoy said.

Hermione tightly shut her eyes, and then looked at the professor who was looking at Malfoy.

"Yes, like the Department of Mysteries."

"May I ask," Colin Creevey asked as if he were a reporter, "Who killed you?"

A disgusted expression came over him, "A deatheater."

Neville, who was sitting on the other side of Hermione, went ridged.

"How did they kill you?"

"A spell," he simply lied, "Killed me instantly."

"Why were you fighting them?"

"I was fighting a whole bunch of deatheaters…"

"You weren't a deatheater?"

Hermione wasn't sure who was asking all the questions but it was starting to drive her insane.

"No,"

The whole class, save for Hermione, Ron and Harry, stared open mouthed at him.

"Come now, you can't all be that shocked!" he said, smiling.

Several people laughed at that.

"Who _are_ you anyway?" Malfoy coolly asked from the back.

"Why, you don't know who I am?" he asked, his smile growing even broader.

Malfoy shrugged, "No, I don't."

He threw his head back and gave a bark-like laugh, "I'm Sirius Black."


	11. Chapter 11: Ron

A/N: This one's even shorter than the last, and it's the last section I have, so it'll be a week probably before I can get another one on. Please review and thank you all who have! Ron 

Ron, Hermione and Harry all waited for Sirius to finish talking to Malfoy. Ron knew Harry had a lot of questions and he was pacing the classroom in front of the chalkboard.

Brad was hanging back away from the group by the door, waiting for them. As Malfoy passed him he curtly said, "Out of my way, Gryffindor."

"Watch it!" Ron yelled after him.

"Why did I come back," Sirius repeated, sitting on his desk as the three gathered around him, "I suppose because I knew Harry would need me," he suddenly smiled, "_And_ I could haunt his aunt and uncle if they were being unpleasant."

Harry smiled, "Brilliant," was all he said.

"What _was_ that thing you went through, anyway?" Hermione asked.

_Typical Hermione,_ Ron thought.

"It was an archway to the world of the dead," his eyes traveled back to Harry, "I saw your parents there, Harry. I spent a little time with them before I came back here."

"You can go between worlds?" Harry asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

"Some do, some don't. Those who choose to usually reside in the world of the living only have so much time in the world of the dead at one given time where as those who choose to reside in the world of the dead only have so much time in the world of the living at one given time. Does that make sense to you?"

"How much time would you have to visit in the world of the dead?" Harry asked.

"Oh, a few hours at a time I think. I'm not quite clear on the rules yet," he frowned, "I'm sure there's some spell that can counter that, though."

Ron grinned, _And typical Sirius, always finding a way to get around things._

"So my mum and dad could visit me?" Harry asked, wide-eyed.

Sirius brows furrowed, "I'm not sure. I think it's only the people who have entered the world of the dead through the archway. But I'll be sure to ask."

"Not to put you down or anything, Harry," Hermione tenderly said, "But I'm sure that if there was a way to visit you, your parents would have already done so."

Harry looked down, seeming disappointed, "Yeah, I'm sure they would've."

There was an ominous silence which Sirius finally broke, "Well, you four will be late to class, so off you go," he said.

"Oh yippee, double potions," Ron sarcastically muttered.

A few minutes later they entered the dark dungeon of Professor Snape and quietly sat down.

"You three," Snape greasily said, "Why are you late?"

"Pardon me, Professor, but we had to stay after class. Professor Black wanted to speak with us," Hermione politely replied.

Snape hesitated, "Be aware that I will not allow this sort of thing to go on all school year," he said, glaring at Harry.

Ron noticed that Harry glared back, some unspoken meaning flying between them.

"Five points from Gryffindor each, for being late," he replied as Malfoy snickered.

Snape looked disapprovingly over at Malfoy, but didn't say anything to him which enraged Ron, but Hermione, obviously sensing this, laid a hand on his arm.

"It's ok, just don't give him anymore reason to take points away from us," she whispered.

Ron froze. She had touched him. She had _actually_ touched him. Ron sat in a daze as Snape went on explaining how to make some kind of drought in which he couldn't remember the name.

"Mr. Weasley," he suddenly said as Ron snapped out of his trance, "Tell me, what are the effects of this thinking drought?" he asked, clearly under the impression that Ron hadn't been listening.

He hesitated, "Well, obviously it helps you think," he said, making a few Gryffindors giggle, but made Hermione huff.

Snape had assigned all the Gryffindors extra homework due at the end of the week, the next time they had double Potions, but hadn't given the Slytherins barely any.

"Thanks a lot, Weasley," Seamus spit at him on their way out.

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Weasel King," Malfoy happily said, laughing. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all broke out into their song of "Weasley is Our King" as they made their way down the corridor.

"If I ever get half a chance to blow him to smither…" he started.

"Ron, don't even joke about that. You have no idea how much trouble you can get into for even jokingly suggesting it," Hermione seriously said.

To Ron's greatest displeasure, the three of them met up with Brad and headed down to the Great Hall for lunch.

"So, does this mean you two are on speaking terms again?" Harry asked.

Ron carefully looked at Hermione who seemed very interested in getting something off of her bags that wasn't even there.

"I reckon…" Ron began, looking at Harry.

"Only if he behaves himself," said Hermione, sitting down at the Gryffindor table.

"I've been behaving myself!" he exclaimed, sitting between Harry and Ginny.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes, then put mashed potatoes onto her plate.

He looked at Ginny, "Haven't I?" he asked her.

She only shrugged and looked down at her plate.

Ron finally looked over at Harry, who also shrugged, "I dunno, Ron. You seem really offensive late…" he began.

Ron felt anger course through him, "Offensive? _I'm_ offensive? I have not been _offensive_! If Hermione would quit batting lashes with Smith then maybe I'd be in a better mood!" he slipped. Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Brad all looked at him as his face heated up. He knew he was turning red.

"I…I mean," he stuttered, looking at Hermione who looked shocked.

"You should have told me that upset you, Ronald," she said.

"Well, maybe if you hadn't acted like I was the dirtiest thing in this world I would've!" he yelled, trying to make an excuse.

"Ron, don't be ridiculous," she said, continuing to put food on her plate, "you aren't the dirtiest thing in the world. Well, maybe you could wash up a little more often…"

"I wash every night!" he exclaimed, very offended at her comment, "Just because I don't have the money that your family does doesn't mean I can't wash every night!" he crossly told her.

Hermione rolled her eyes yet again. Ron wondered whether or not that was the newest fashion for girls, "I didn't imply that at all…"

"Oh yeah, I'm so sure Hermione. You know, ever since you started hanging out with Smith, you've been nothing but moody and rude!" he told her.

Brad suddenly stood up, "I'll see you in Muggle Studies, Hermione," he said and basically ran out of the Great Hall.

Hermione started after him for a moment, then turned to Ron, "See what you've done? You just made Brad so uncomfortable that he doesn't even want to be around me anymore!"

"I can relate to how he feels!" Ron loudly retorted, "Because _I_ don't want to be around you _either_!" he finished, "Harry, I'll see you in Divination," he said and stomped out of the Great Hall.

He was wondering around on the third floor when he had heard it. Draco Malfoy's drawling voice echoing through the hall.

"Don't let anyone know. She'll be taken by sheer surprise…" his voice cut off and Ron saw him walk around the corner with Crabbe, Goyle, and new boy Ron had never seen before.

Ron and Malfoy glared at each other for a moment before Ron decided to glare at the other three in turn.

"What do you want, Weasel?" Malfoy rudely asked.

"Nothing to do with you," Ron told him, throwing him a dirty expression.

"Good, I thought you might be asking for money," he said, walking up to him, "Because I wouldn't give you any. I enjoy watching you wallow in that Leaning Tower of Pizza," he said.

Ron was shocked, how did Malfoy know what his house looked like?

Malfoy smirked, "Yeah, that's right, Weaselby, I know where your house is at. It's a pity, though, since it's surrounded with pigs," the three others let out a few snickers as Malfoy walked around Ron, the other three following in his wake.

What was Malfoy planning to do? Surely not a practical joke. Any jokes Malfoy played were not practical at all.

Ron shrugged and continued down the corridor. He felt pity for whoever Malfoy decided to prank on.


	12. Chapter 12: Hermione

A/N: sry it's so short. Hermione 

Hermione was completely outraged at Ron's behavior. She couldn't be_lieve _how rude he was! And to top it all, she had to make up with Brad.

She entered her Muggle Studies classroom and immediately found Brad, sitting next to him.

"Hello," she greeted him with an imbaraced smile; "I'm sorry about earlier…" she began.

"Oh no worries, I'll just make sure I'm not…how'd he put it?... 'batting lashes' with you anymore."

Hermione was taken aback at his rudeness; "Brad, he's just jealous…" she began.

Brad snorted as a few other people walked into the class room.

"Fine," said Hermione, gathering up her carefully laid out books, "If you're going to be that way, maybe Ron really _was_ a better choice," she said, and stalked off to the back of the class room.

She angrily sat down; what was wrong with everybody anyway? No one was exactly getting along this year.

"Welcome to muggle studies," Professor Sinistra said, standing behind her desk. But Hermione barely heard her.


	13. Chapter 13: Draco

A/N: sorry, this one's short too. 

_**Draco**_

Draco slumped into his chair. Was this lesson _ever_ going to end? He had been disgusted at Dumbledore's choice of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, then he had met Weasleby in the hall, now he was stuck in the most boring class alive. Crabbe and Goyle were both sound asleep, slightly snoring and heavily drooling onto their desks; but this wasn't uncommon for them. In fact, the only class that Draco _hadn't_ seen them sleeping was Potions.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you listening?" asked Binns.

"Oh yeah, yeah I've been listening. Are we almost finished here?" he boredly asked, earning a few snickers from the Slytherins for Professor Binns.

Binns only looked at him with empty, haunting eyes, "Next time, detention for you," he said, then droned on with his notes.

It seemed like an eternity before the bell rang, causing the whole class as one to jump to their feet and run for the door.

Draco felt himself grin; this was going to be the best ever.

"Hey Granger, are you lost?" he asked Hermione as he passed her.

"Shove it, Malfoy," she yelled back, glaring at him.

He smirked at her, hoping his timing was right that night.


	14. Chapter 14:Hermione

A/N: thanks for all the reviews so far! 

_**Hermione**_

Hermione stared blankly at the stone wall for a second, trying to process what Malfoy really meant by that statement.

She finally made it into the great hall for lunch, finding Harry and Ron and sitting between them.

"You two've finally made up, then?" Harry asked with hope in his voice.

"Actually," Ron began, but Hermione loudly interrupted him.

"Yes, Ron and I have made up," she said, giving Ron a significant look.

Ron's eyes widened, "Oh…yeah, yeah ok," he said.

"Where's Brad?" Harry curiously asked, peering around the great hall.

"Oh yes, please tell us where dear old Brad is, we're dying to know," Ron sarcastically said.

Hermione tried to ignore him, "I don't know," she simply said, putting some Sun Chips® on her plate.

"What have you lot got as far as classes after lunch?" she asked.

Harry looked at his schedule, "Care of Magical Creatures right after, then after that Biology with Professor Sprout. Oh, then charms then I have the rest of the day off."

Hermione smiled, looking up at him from his own schedule, "Brilliant, I have the exact same thing. So, what class did you guys just have?" she asked.

"Divination," the both boredly replied.

"And how'd that go?"

"Trelawney's teaching again," Ron said.

"Oh, then where did Frienz go?" she asked.

The both shrugged, "Well, I guess that's just another thing we can ask Hagrid when we go see him later," Harry said.

"Oh yes, when we're done with our classes for the day," she said, not looking at them. She had decided to try and be as pleasant as possible to Ron, but only for Harry's sake.

She suddenly heard a voice behind herself and jumped, "Can I talk to you for a moment, Hermione?" it asked.

Hermione turned around to see Brad standing there, his shoulder bag slung over his chest.

She gave Harry and Ron both questioning glances and stood up from the table, "I'll be right back; watch my stuff, Ginny, please," she said.

She followed Brad out of the Great Hall, "What do you want this time?" she hissed.

He looked pained, "I…well…did you really mean, you know…"

"That Ron's better than you? Yes, I did. Now get out of my life, alright?" she asked and started to march back into the Great Hall, but he caught her arm.

The movement happened so fast she didn't know what had happened until the moment was gone.

She drew back, staring at him and breathless.

"Did you…just…" she stuttered.

He grinned at her and leaned in for another kiss; she didn't stop him, "Hermione, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me…" he murmured.

"Brad, I've only known you for, what, a few hours? Get over it!" she yelled and successfully marched back into the Great Hall leaving him standing there.


	15. Chapter 15: Ron

A/N: this is the last section I have finished, so it'll be about a week or so until I can put up some more chapters. 

_**Ron**_

"What'd he want?" Ron asked through a mouthful of drumstick.

Hermione turned several shades of red, "Oh nothing. Just being a big flobber worm as usual," she said, sitting down again.

Ron couldn't help but grin, _She just called him a flobber worm_, he mused.

Ron's gaze swept over Malfoy for a moment, then he did a double-take. He wasn't eating, but leaning in with Crabbe and Goyle, smiling and talking feaverishly.

"Harry, you don't suppose Malfoy's found a way to get his father out of prison, do you?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Malfoy but leaning toward Harry and completely forgetting about the chewed up chicken he still had in his mouth.

Harry also looked over at Malfoy, "I dunno, maybe. I mean, it's possible."

"Yeah. Yeah, it's possible," he said, only just remembering the 'prank' Malfoy and his cronies were going to play on some innocent first year.

"Ronald!" Hermione suddenly scolded.

Ron looked over at her and saw she was looking at him with a sickened expression, "Wha?" he asked.

"Close your mouth if you're going to save your food in there!" she hissed.

Ron quickly closed his mouth, only just realizing he hadn't swallowed his chicken.

Harry snickered.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked.

Harry quickly regained his composure, "Nothing, nothing at all," he said.

Ron looked from Harry to Hermione and decided that if he hadn't figured them out by now he wasn't ever going to.

All through the feast, Ron's vision and attention kept straying to Malfoy and his cronies. He couldn't help but notice that they were whispering amongst themselves, which was highly unusual because Malfoy had always made known his opinions of everyone.

"Dyou think he's up to something?" he asked Harry, still watching Malfoy.

"Ron, I think you're paranoid, don't worry about him."

"Right, ok," he said, looking back to his plate.

But for some reason Ron couldn't get rid of the horrible sinking feeling he had every time he thought about Malfoy.


	16. Chapter 16: Hey All

Hey all, sorry that I haven't updated recently, I've been buisy trying to add stuff to all of my fics. I probably won't be able to get online during spring break (March 13-17), so I'm just letting you know that there probably won't be any updates during that time. Thank you all so much for reviewing, I really appreciate it. Enjoy your break!


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